HELLO! India Eat Buy Try: What's on our hot list this January 2026

The world of lifestyle is moving faster than ever, with fresh launches, trending finds and new experiences constantly vying for attention. Whether it’s a just-opened restaurant, a must-have shopping discovery, or a standout experience arriving in your city, the options are plentiful—but deciding what’s truly worth your time and money isn’t always easy. That’s where the HELLO! India's Eat Buy Try list comes in: a thoughtfully curated list by our editors of tried-and-tested recommendations from across the country. Consider it your insider guide to what’s genuinely worth exploring, so you can skip the guesswork and go straight to the best.

This month on HELLO! India's Eat Buy Try, we're eating elevated Indian food in a bar setting, buying tropical-scented hair mists and trying multi-layered facials.

(Also Read: Hot Off The HELLO! India Press: Festival weekends, luxury expansions and more)

Dayle Pereira-Alemao, Associate Editor

Eat At

Ode: Ode. Three letters, a tiny word but man oh man, did its name belie what it had in store. The restaurant; located in a plush dining complex in SoBo's Worli, has an open-concept dining space with snug low-seated tables and cosy cloud-mesh lighting. Accented by an open kitchen that places itself proudly as the heart of the restaurant, its resonating warmth and community is evident in every corner of the space; much before the food arrives on the table. It's a week night and yet, the pleasant hum of diners—a birthday celebration in one corner, friends discussing Marty Supreme in another—builds a cheery atmosphere that's primed for the impending weekend. Their menu; one edited to be concise, makes sure to pull off each dish, cocktail and dessert to near perfection. The Fried Calamari, brilliantly tender on the inside and crisp on the inside, pairs like magic with the green mango chutney, which the Chef informs us, is a play on his mother's homegrown recipe. The Pepperoni Pizza adds a herby hint to the classic combination with picked onions and fennel. While their Double Buff Tenderloin Burger packed in a punch with layers of meat and cheese that was grilled to perfection, every spoonful of the Saffron and Scallop Risotto was a wholesome bite with hints of saffron and herb oil running through. Cocktail hour at Ode was quite the treat too as Over The Wall; which paired smoked pineapple with chilli and a tequila base for a sweet and spicy hint, was clearly the star here. From across the food menu, it was dessert that won and that's coming from someone who doesn't even have that big of a sweet tooth. Their Chocolate Fudge Cake is vegan, eggless and comes with a side of summer berries but you wouldn't be able to tell any of that if you simply go by how moist and decadent the cake was, which complemented the tart berries that accessorized it. I was already making plans to go back here and I hadn't even left the restaurant yet; that says a lot about how good of an 'ode' it is to a fine meal.

Buy

Shankara's Calming Essence: Rest is a priority for me, like many others, in 2026. This has led marketers to commodify sleep as the hottest product this season. It's no surprise that there's influx of gummies, nasal drops, eye masks and more, all promising the same result: to sleep soundly and wake up well-rested. It's tough to tell what's works from what doesn't because wellness is such an individual spectrum so when I kept the Shakara Calming Essence besides my bedside table, I didn't expect much to change—but it did. The fragrance oil combines vetiver with cardamom and sandalwood to create a lingering scent that soothing enough to shut off the noise in your head, yet not the kind of punchy that you'd consider irritable. A dab on the temples, base of the nose and wrists is enough to create this scent bubble around you that's ideal to slowly help you to mute your thoughts and heighten just your sense of smell for the night. I'm thinking of this nifty little roll-on bottle as a soothsayer to help me wind down for the night and keeping it close to my pillow.

Try

ISAAC Luxe's Snow White Facial: An established name in the aesthetic skincare sphere, ISAAC Luxe by Dr. Geetika Mittal Gupta stays deftly on their toes where skincare innovation is concerned. Their Snow White Facial, which the doctor recommended when I spoke of fatigued, congested skin, is a shining example of this. Why it's so revolutionary is because it doesn't just target one skin concern, it focuses on three. The Snow White Facial starts by cleansing to open the pores and then, suction out the gunk from within to clear it for the treatments to come. Next is the legendary carbon laser step; a favourite of the social media set. A layer of carbon is applied to the skin and then using a laser, is zapped beneath the surface layer of the skin. This deliberately encourages the carbon to seek out impurities from under the skin's surface layer so that it also works from within. The skin is then masked, massaged and soothed so brilliantly, rest feels like its right beside you. The final step of the facial features a round of cryotherapy, which essentially blasts the skin minus-degree ice-cold nitrogen to close it down for business. A multi-layered treatment with a personal recommendation that is tailor-made for skin concerns, I left the ISAAC Luxe clinic with noticeably softer skin and a week later, I also noticed the carbon in action as impurities began to decongest from within my skin.

(Also Read: HELLO! India Eat Buy Try: What's on our hot list this November 2025)

Sabrina Mathews, Assistant Editor 

Eat At

Upstairs at the Indian Accent: If you have ever dined at the Indian Accent, expect Upstairs at the Indian Accent to be a fresh, elevated (pun intended), casual bar experience with the same moody vibe of the iconic restaurant. It feels like slipping into a more intimate yet indulgent version of a place everyone already loves. The menu, an ode to the famous markets of Delhi, brings to life some of the most nostalgic dishes in a bar setting that pairs beautifully with their equally iconic cocktails. Whether you fancy a Martini or a Picante, there's something for everyone. Seldom will you find a restaurant that takes catering to the minutest details with such care; almost like it was cared for with personal intent to savour your taste buds, and your taste buds alone. But then again, backed by the ethos of Indian Accent, why would anyone expect anything less? Favourites from the menu were undoubtedly the Kebab sando enveloped in a soft Japanese shokupan bread, hailing from Karol Bagh, the Jhol momo by way of the iconic Dolma Aunty's momo hawker in Lajpat Nagar and the Ghazipur Flower Market-famed Palak Patta Chaat. Pair it up with their unique martini variations or their signature cocktails, all tailored to elevate each of their bar nibbles. And if you're lucky, Chef Hitesh will make sure each dish is served with his warm hospitality and a tale to tell. 

Buy

Calvin Klein Hair and Body Mist in Silky Coconut: Missing your favourite tropical vacation? This new body and hair mist by Calvin Klein in the flavour Silky Coconut is the simplest way to take a visa-free trip to the beach. The sweet, balmy fragrance is reminiscent of basking in the sun, sipping a pina colada, and not having a care in the world; all summed in a bottle. Although the coconut scent is the high note of this fragrance (for obvious reasons), it doesn't overpower the fresh citrus low notes altogether. That is the reason this mist has become my effortless luxury from the moment I first used it. It's light, which helps me layer it up or down depending on the occasion, from day to night. Spray it on post-shower or before stepping out, and it instantly feels polished yet relaxed. If you prefer fragrances that feel clean, comforting and quietly chic, this is an easy everyday indulgence you wouldn't mind splurging on.  

Try

Hydrafacial at The Face Company: Can you blame me if I wanted to start the year with a hydrated skin? At The Face Company, it was ensured the year was more than welcome. I was seeking a Hydrafacial, no frills. Deep cleansing, moisturising and instant glow-boosting minus the downtime; and got exactly that in their super luxe clinic in Delhi's conveniently located GK-2 outlet. The clinic is straight out of a Pinterest board which surely adds to the experience. My skin felt plump, calm, and visibly brighter the moment I walked out. I entered with the expectation of getting a Hydrafacial and left with the anticipation of returning for their immaculate precision-work with their other skin, hair, brows and lash services. 

(Also Read: HELLO! India Eat Buy Try: What's on our hot list this December 2025)